John C. Reilly (Part 1)

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17 Feb 2024

John C. Reilly (Part 1)

John Christopher Reilly, born on May 24, 1965, is an American actor known for his versatility in both leading and supporting roles across independent dramas and studio comedies. He gained recognition for his performances in films like Paul Thomas Anderson's "Hard Eight" (1996), "Boogie Nights" (1997), and "Magnolia" (1999), as well as Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" (2002) and "The Aviator" (2004).
Reilly received critical acclaim and award nominations for his role in the musical film "Chicago" (2002), earning nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the corresponding Golden Globe Award. His filmography includes notable works such as "The River Wild" (1994), "The Thin Red Line" (1998), and "The Hours" (2002).

In addition to his dramatic roles, Reilly has also made a mark in comedy films, starring in movies like "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" (2007), "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006), and "Step Brothers" (2008). He voiced the titular character in the "Wreck-It Ralph" film series (2012–2018) and appeared in independent films like "Cyrus," "We Need to Talk About Kevin," and "Carnage" (all in 2011), "The Lobster" (2015), and "The Sisters Brothers" (2018). His portrayal of comedian Oliver Hardy in the biopic "Stan and Ollie" (2018) earned him nominations for the Golden Globe Award and Critics' Choice Award.
Reilly has also made notable contributions to television, creating and starring in the Showtime comedy series "Moonbase 8" (2020) and leading an ensemble cast in the HBO sports drama series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" (2022). Additionally, he is a musician and performs with his band, John Reilly and Friends. For his performance in the Broadway revival of Sam Shepard's play "True West" (2000), Reilly received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

John Christopher Reilly was born in Chicago, Illinois, as the fifth of six children. His father had Irish and Scottish heritage, while his mother was of Lithuanian descent. Reilly's father was involved in running an industrial linen supply company. Reflecting on his childhood, Reilly has admitted to being mischievous, recalling an incident at the age of 12 when he and his friends stole 500 boxes of Sugar Corn Pops from a freight train. He spent his formative years in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.
Raised in the Roman Catholic faith, Reilly attended Brother Rice High School. He later pursued his passion for acting and graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago.

John C. Reilly made his film debut in the Brian De Palma war film "Casualties of War" in 1989, portraying PFC Herbert Hatcher. Despite initially being a small role, Reilly's performance impressed De Palma, leading to the expansion of his character in the film. He then appeared as Buck, a NASCAR crew member to Tom Cruise's character, in Tony Scott's "Days of Thunder" in June 1990. Later that year, he played Stevie McGuire, an Irish hoodlum, in the crime film "State of Grace," starring Sean Penn.
In 1992, Reilly portrayed Jimmy Hoffa's associate who testifies against him in "Hoffa," alongside Jack Nicholson. He continued to gain recognition with supporting roles in films like "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993), where he played one of Johnny Depp's character's friends. In "The River Wild" (1994), he starred alongside Kevin Bacon as one of a pair of criminals who terrorize a family during a rafting trip.
Reilly's versatility was further showcased in 1995 when he appeared in the psychological thriller "Dolores Claiborne" as a police constable and in the drama "Georgia" as a drug-addicted drummer in the band joined by Jennifer Jason Leigh's character.

eilly portrayed a near-homeless man in Reno, Nevada, who is taken under the wing of a senior gambler, played by Philip Baker Hall. Reilly collaborated with Anderson on subsequent films, playing a pornographic actor in "Boogie Nights" (1997), a deeply religious police officer in "Magnolia" (1999), and making a cameo appearance in the music video for Fiona Apple's single "Across the Universe."
Reilly also appeared in Terrence Malick's ensemble war film "The Thin Red Line" (1998), although many of his scenes, along with those of other cast members, were ultimately deleted. In 1999, he starred in the independent film "The Settlement" alongside William Fichtner, although the film received mixed reviews. Reilly also played a role in the romantic comedy "Never Been Kissed" that same year and portrayed fictional baseball catcher Gus Sinski in Sam Raimi's sports drama "For Love of the Game."

In 2000, Reilly appeared in "The Perfect Storm" as a veteran crew member on the Andrea Gail fishing vessel, which was caught in the 1991 Perfect Storm. He also played director Mac Forsyth in the comedy "The Anniversary Party" (2001), directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming. In 2002, Reilly portrayed a stoner husband in Miguel Arteta's comedy-drama "The Good Girl," opposite Jennifer Aniston, and appeared in three Academy Award for Best Picture nominees: "Chicago," "Gangs of New York," and "The Hours." In "Chicago," he played Amos Hart, Roxanne's trusting husband, earning nominations for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. In "Gangs of New York," Reilly portrayed corrupt 19th-century constable "Happy Jack" Mulraney, while in "The Hours," he played the husband to Julianne Moore's character. Reilly also made a brief appearance in the comedy "Anger Management" (2003) as a monk.